She's Leaving Us
by Stuck With Li
Summary: “You don’t have to say it, Haruhi,” he began softly, not taking his eyes off the speeding scenery. “It isn’t important to me to hear how and why I would be an unacceptable husband for you.” Based on Anime, TXH...maybe.


**I have edited this little fluffy one shot thanks to some very valuable input. Further reviews would be greatly appreciated.**

She's Leaving Us

The light from the clear and beautiful summer day was filtered out by heavy curtains shrouding the room in darkness. The bed was rumpled, the occupant having been in it for days, refusing to get up but briefly and only out of necessity.

The only visible sign that a human inhabited the lump of cream colored silk blankets was an arm dangling over the side of the bed, fingers skimming idly against the edge of a heavy vellum card.

"What is that smell?" Kaoru asked in distaste while he delicately put his hand to his nose as he stood in the doorway, his brother Hikaru peered curiously over his shoulders. Both their usually devious amber gazes were shadowed by sadness at the pathetic scene before them.

"He's rotting!" Hikaru continued for his brother as Kyouya pushed them into the room.

"Oh poor, poor Tama-chan," Hunny cooed as he slid past the twin brothers, stopping in the middle of the room to look at the rumpled bed. "His heart is broken."

"All of our hearts are broken," Kyouya amended as he picked the card up from the floor. He adjusted his glasses and read it as a sour look graced his face. He sighed then assessed the other members of the club. Hunny was still standing in the middle of the room clutching his pink bunny and looking frightened. Hikaru and Kaoru were standing just inside the door, hands clutched together for comfort, wearing desolate expressions. Mori stood just outside the door, looking like a stoic stone guard.

"How could I let this happen?" came a muffled voice full of anguish from beneath the blankets. "I should have been a better father. I should have been more vigilant. I should never have taken my eyes off of her for a second. I should never allowed this!"

Kyouya raised his eyes to the ceiling for a moment and took a deep breath. It didn't matter how vigilant Tamaki was. It didn't matter how closely they all watched her or even how much he himself manipulated the circumstances; there was no dissuading Haruhi from anything she felt deeply about. She had a mind of her own. It was her will of iron which Kyouya himself admired.

Haruhi was fiercely independent and sometimes she just didn't understand that they knew what was best for her. They couldn't keep her from falling in love with someone outside of the host club. They couldn't keep her from dating though they'd tried, which only made her dig her heels and commit herself harder to her chosen course of action.

"We… I underestimated her," Kyouya replied as he cast his eyes down to read the wedding invitation. "This isn't just your fault Tamaki. We are all responsible in one way or another." He tossed the invitation onto the nightstand, flicking his fingers in disgust.

"We treated her like a toy," Karou admitted softly as he looked down at his feet in honest contrition.

"Not like a human being," Hikaru finished as he watched Mori walk across the room and pull open the curtains. They all shielded their eyes against the invading sunlight as dust scattered then settled.

"What are you going to do?" Mori asked unusually verbose as he turned and looked at the group. "I say. Let her go. She'll come back to us."

Hunny hugged his bunny tighter. "Haru-chan has a right to live her life however she wants," he added gently. He and Mori had discussed the situation at length. Hunny was of the opinion that they should make the best of the situation. He was willing to make friends with any man Haruhi wanted to marry. He loved her just as fiercely as the other members of the host club, but he was also willing to make any sacrifices necessary for her happiness.

Mori looked at Hunny and his stoic expression saddened imperceptibly. He felt Hunny's outlook on the situation was overly optimistic. He knew that if he had had the fortune of winning Haruhi's heart, and not understanding her place and bond with the host club, that he would not want her around six handsome men. He was willing to let her go and to protect her from an unseen distance, but he knew that wasn't enough for Hunny or the others.

"I think," Hunny continued softly, "that we should go to her wedding. Show we support her. It will make her happy."

Hikaru closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Independent of his brother he didn't know if he could do it. He didn't know if he could stand by and watch her marry someone else. She was the one person who without question could tell him apart from Kaoru. The one person who made him feel like a separate entity with his own identity. He couldn't share her with some stranger, he just couldn't.

Kaoru watched Hikaru for a moment, understanding his brother's anguish. He liked his subtle individuality too. He loved Haruhi yes, but he wanted her for Hikaru, because in a sense, he would have her for himself.

"Well there is no more sense in rotting here while our last opportunity to stop this passes us by," Kyouya declared as he yanked the blankets from the bed, exposing Tamaki laying in the center of the bed, curled up in a fetal position.

"Go away!" Tamaki growled as he burrowed into his pillows.

"You are not an earth worm." Kyouya growled. "You will not burrow into your own inner mind and pretend things are different. You will get up. You will dress. You will come to the church with us." He paused for dramatic effect. "You will help us talk her out of this ridiculous marriage nonsense."

"Talk her out of it?" Tamaki asked as he lifted his head his is sorrow filled indigo eyes meet Kyouya's gaze full of hope for the first time since it became clear he could not demand Haruhi stop the wedding.

"Things wouldn't have gotten this far if you hadn't been such an idiot, Tamaki. If I hadn't underestimated her and…" he paused and looked at the others who were all giving him hopeful but wary looks.

"Just get dressed," Kyouya ordered. "We don't have a lot of time left." Tamaki shot out of bed and vanished into the bathroom like a flash of lightening. Kyouya adjusted his glasses again then looked at the other members of the club who were watching him warily.

"We're going to rescue her?" Hikaru asked excitedly.

"You have a plan?" Kaoru finished as both twins rushed forward. Mori and Hunny exchanged worried glances.

"Yes," Kyouya replied coolly then walked around the bed, and righted the table and the chairs Tamaki had thrown about during an earlier anguished fit. Kyouya hadn't witnessed the tantrum but he had heard about it from the worried maids who called him at three in the morning to alert him that the crazy man had finally lost his mind completely.

"This is going to make her angry." Hunny warned then feathered a bunny ear across his mouth.

"Yes it will," Kyouya replied. "But I'm sure she'll reasonably accept my plan."

"Let us go rescue our fair damsel!" Tamaki interrupted as the bathroom door swung open. Kyouya took a deep breath as his friend strode across the room and out the bedroom door, looking nothing less than the dashing host club prince he'd always portrayed.

"And I suggest we follow," Kyouya said rushing after him with the rest of the club not far behind.

* * *

Not far away, in a little sun filled room Haruhi stood studying herself in the mirror. Her eyes skimmed thoughtfully over the blue silk kimono she'd chosen for the reception as the dressers completed the finishing touches on her white shiro-maku kimono.

Under different circumstances the very observant young woman would have been aware of the six men peering in outside her window, but she was distracted by her father who appeared in the doorway. He wearing a very staid and normal black suit. He sniffled as he reached out and took the handkerchief his daughter had tenderly given him to stem his tears.

"Should we take her now?" Kaoru asked as he peeked into the room.

"Hush!" Kyouya ordered. "We need to wait until she's alone."

"Her father is in there," Hikaru observed. "He looks very…"

"Normal," Kaoru finished with a grim shake of his head.

"She's never going to be alone." Hunny whispered softly as Mori lifted him so he could peer into the window. "I think we should just go have a seat and…."

"It is almost a tradition," Kyouya interrupted as he calmly grabbed Tamaki, who was practically slobbering against the window, and pulled him back. "For a bride to ask for a few moments alone."

"That is when we take her," Tamaki interjected fiercely . His eyes were still glued to Haruhi as the women in the room gathered their possessions and left the bride alone with her father.

"Yes," The twins agreed as they too admired the bride in her traditional dress. Sighing softly in regret that it wasn't for them that she had chosen the silver and blue silk dress hanging nearby.

"Hush!" Kyouya hissed in irritation. "All of you are going to blow our cover." All mouths were then shut, but shining eyes continued to watch.

* * *

"You are a vision of complete loveliness," Haruhi's father declared as he walked further into the room.

She smiled at him slightly then returned her gaze to the mirror. "Have any of… Any of the boys arrived?" She wasn't sure how she managed to keep the tone of her voice casual and light. She'd spend most of the previous day on pins and needles expecting one of them or all of them to show up to try and convince her to call off the wedding. She was almost hurt that they hadn't, though maybe it was for the better.

"Not since last I checked," her father answered, frowning as he watched a look of panic and distress fill his daughter's luminous brown eyes. She sighed deeply then mustered a smile at her father.

"Are you ready?" he asked softly as he extended his hand. He blinked slightly as something in the window caught his attention then smiled slightly.

Haruhi took a deep breath and shook her head. "I need some time alone," she told him softly. "I just need to gather my thoughts." He smiled at her gently then moved forward and placed a kiss on her forehead.

"I want you to know," he began softly as he looked over her shoulder again as he moved so her back was to the window. "No matter what you choose. I will always be proud of you."

Haruhi looked at her father sternly for a moment then said, "I'm going through with the wedding." He'd tried just as hard as the host club had to talk her out of her plans and she expected at least one more effort from him.

He smiled at her regretfully and said, "But I am proud of you regardless Haruhi, and I know your mother would have been too. I just want you to be happy with your chosen path." He shrugged and started out the door. "If you are I will be too." He looked out the window once more smiled slightly then closed the door with a gentle click.

Haruhi turned back to the mirror and sighed. She'd worked herself into a fine mess and now she wasn't sure how to extricate herself from her current predicament. She'd initially started dating her fiancé because of the twins, she needed some sort of protection from them, but then Tamaki had gone off the deep end and literally forbade her from seeing him. Then next thing she knew she was dating seriously then being proposed to and accepting.

"Why am I doing this?" she asked as she closed her eyes. Did she really want to do this? Being married wouldn't be so bad, it was simply the losses she would have to endure as a result made her that unhappy.

"You're doing this to make me angry," Tamaki who was half hanging through the window answered. Haruhi turned around and bit back her smile as the idiot king fell to the floor then was immediately used as a stool by the twins as they bounded through the window toward her.

"You look so beautiful, Haru-chan." Hunny squealed as Mori dropped him through the window then moved aside to help Kyouya.

Haruhi put her hand over her mouth and shook her head. "Why are you all here?" she asked as she tried to look stern.

"We love your kimono!" Hikaru and Kaoru announced as they pulled it from the hanger. "Was it your mothers?"

Haruhi sighed heavily trying her best to look as exasperated as she could, though her heart was pounding like a hummingbird wing, threatening to fly from her throat. "I know why you're here," she announced. "You're going to try to talk me out of going through with this."

"No," Kyouya replied nonchalantly as he walked around the room. "We're not here to talk you out of anything. We wouldn't presume to be able to talk sense into you."

"We're taking you!" Tamaki announced as he bounded forward after finally finding his feet. Kyouya sighed heavily and Haruhi laughed. "You don't have a choice."

"Tamaki-sempai," Haruhi started but was interrupted as Tamaki held up his finger and turned his head away as he made tut tut tut sounds.

"The coolest thing about wearing a kimono," Hikaru began with a look of evil mischief filling his amber eyes as he put his face close to Haruhi's.

"Is that it's nearly impossible to run away in one!" Kaoru finished as he wrapped his arms around Haruhi.

"Oh," she said softly, her brown eyes going wide as Kaoru cuddled her.

"And you will stay with us until you see sense!" Tamaki announced as he pointed to the window. "And call off this ridiculous marriage!" Hunny and Mori were already out the window and waiting.

"Kyouya," Haruhi said softly as he walked to the window. He turned and gave her a curious look. "You can't seriously be going along with this."

"Of course I can," he answered coolly. "Besides you haven't yet paid off your debt. I see stopping your wedding to be in our best interests." Haruhi rolled her eyes and watched as he climbed through the window.

"If you wanted to get married," Tamaki began softly as he walked forward. "You had only to ask father. I would have found someone suitable. Why would you reject your father's wisdom?"

Haruhi looked at Tamaki then opened her mouth but kept silent. She never wanted anyone to know just how much Tamaki's father act infuriated her. She closed her mouth for a moment then took a deep breath. "You are not my father, Tamaki" she told him gently then let Hikaru and Kaoru lead her away as the high flush on his face drained away.

"Why aren't you fighting us?" Hunny asked gently as Mori helped Haruhi through the window.

"I don't see the point," Haruhi answered calmly.

"Because she doesn't want to get married," Mori corrected. Haruhi gave him a questioning look of surprise, but his attention was already focused elsewhere.

"I'm terribly sorry," Kyouya said as he stood beside a glittering black limo and pulled the door open. "I know this is inexcusable, but you've left us with little choice." Haruhi gave him a searching look as she climbed into the car, followed by the twins, then Hunny and Mori.

Kyouya stood at the open door for a moment then yelled. "Tamaki! We're going to leave you here!" He then climbed in beside Mori and waited patiently for a moment before signaling for the driver to close the door.

"Wait!" called Tamaki's voice. "I'm coming." He shoved his way into the car, landing in Kyouya's lap in the process then squeezing in between Kaoru and Haruhi. Kyouya sighed and signaled for the driver to leave.

"Don't worry," Kyouya told Haruhi gently as she turned in her seat to watch her chosen future fade into the distance. "Your father has already informed the wedding party of your absence." She turned and looked at him and he inclined his head as if to tell her she was welcome for his thoughtfulness.

"You know," Haruhi began as anger blossomed across her cheeks in a pretty blush. She may have been happy to have escaped a future she'd decided she wasn't happy with, but she was very displeased by the way her friends were treating her. "This isn't going to change anything. It's only delaying the evitable."

"Oh Haruhi," Tamaki cried dramatically as he took her hand and placed it against his chest. "Why do you want to escape our family? Have we not supplied you with every possible advantage?" Haruhi squeezed her eyes shut. Yes they had. Unfortunately Tamaki continued, "We've provided you with an existence most other commoners would envy and would never have the opportunity to experience!"

Hunny and Mori looked at each other and sighed as Haruhi narrowed her eyes at Tamaki. She pulled her hand away from it's enforced place against a quick beating heart and said, "And I suppose that makes my life indebted to you! I suppose that means I should ask your permission for everything! I suppose that means you know what's better for me than I do!"

Kyouya leaned back in his seat and adjusted his glasses. "In fact," he said before Tamaki could open his big mouth and ruin things further. "I believe we do know what's best for you Haruhi. After all have known you for many years. We are also in some sense responsible for your well being and…"

"If you have to marry," Hikaru interrupted sadly. "Why couldn't you have chosen one of us?"

"Is there something about us that's defective?" Kaoru asked as Haruhi looked at his brother in shock.

"Any one of us would be pleased to serve as your husband," Hikaru continued his eyes filling with hope. "But I would hope you'd chose me."

"Are you kidding?" Haruhi asked then laughed.

"Or me!" Tamaki declared as he pulled Haruhi's hand from Hikaru and forced her to look at him. Haruhi's eyes widened.

"The truth is," Kyouya began, "any one of us would be glad to serve in said capacity." Haruhi looked at Hunny and Mori with wide eyes as they nodded in agreement. She smiled softly her heart warming at the kindness of her friends.

"You are all very good," she said softly. "But tell me do any of you truly love me?"

"Yes!" all six answered. Haruhi's eyes widened again.

Kaoru cleared his throat. "But Hikaru loves you the most, so… I would move aside for him." Haruhi looked at him with bleary eyes then leaned forward and put her head in her hands.

"We should have had a contest," Hikaru told Tamaki. "Then one of us could have asked instead of making her choose."

"Choose what?" Haruhi asked as she turned to look at Hikaru.

"Which one of us you're going to marry," Kaoru answered for him happily.

Haruhi put her hand on the top of her head then looked up at the ceiling of the limo for a moment. "We just left the man I chose to marry back there!" She pointed backward angrily.

"You didn't really want to marry him," Kyouya stated in an irritatingly matter of fact tone. "As Mori already pointed out you are relieved to be out of the arraignment."

Haruhi sighed one more time then looked at Hunny. "Would you really want to marry me?" she asked him.

He shot a quick glance at Mori who was looking back at him expressionlessly then nodded his head and said in his cute voice, "Uh huh!"

Haruhi blinked then asked Mori. "How do you feel about that?"

"I would be pleased that Mitsukuni is happy," Mori answered kindly. "Just as I would be pleased were you to choose me."

"We just don't want to loose you Haru-chan," Hunny cried as he sniffled into a bunny ear. "We love you!"

"Oh," Haruhi said as she reached forward and took Hunny's hand. "I don't think you'd be happy with me, Hunny-sempai. Though surely I'd be happy with you, but well I'm not really all that cute. I also couldn't live on a steady diet of bun bun and cake. I'm going to be an attorney and…"

"I understand," Hunny interrupted as he smiled gently. "I wouldn't think I'd be the best for you anyway."

Haruhi then looked at Mori, shivering slightly as he held her gaze. She wondered for a moment what it would be like to unlock Mori's heart and discover the warmth beneath his stoic exterior, she knew Hunny had but…what would it be like for her?

"I think," she began thoughtfully. "That maybe your heart would be happier with something, or someone cuter, sweeter, nicer." She slid her eyes toward Hunny briefly then held Mori's gaze again. His expression didn't change. He simply nodded his head in understanding.

"That leaves me," Hikaru said confidently.

"It's almost like two for the price of one!" Kaoru added then winced at the look of horror on Haruhi's face. "Almost, but not really." He laughed nervously.

"Hikaru," Haruhi said softly. She was honestly tempted to jump on the offer, but sense told her that she'd always be a toy to the twins and that would never do. "I love you so much but…"

"But?" Hikaru asked sadly. "I'm not enough for you on my own?"

"You're entirely too much for me," Haruhi laughed then put her hand on his face. "And then I'd have to contend with Kaoru. I'd never have rest." Kaoru snickered and Hikaru elbowed him.

"Then choose me," Kyouya said his voice betraying his true emotions for once. "I could provide you with limitless opportunities. You'd be allowed to work on the best cases with the best legal team."

"And what if I prefer to make a success of my law degree on my own merits?" she asked almost angrily as she held his gaze. "I'd always be wondering if I was a good lawyer or if the Ootori name had bought all the cases I won."

"I can assure you," Kyouya began, but Haruhi held up her hand.

"And then there are the pressures of your life, Kyouya. You need a wife who can live up to the expectations of your family and your existence. There would be no room for me to be a lawyer. Being your wife would be my career."

Kyouya sighed as he pushed his glasses up his nose. "Understandable," he replied, leaving Haruhi unable to tell if he was understanding or hurt.

"I guess it's Tamaki then," Hikaru said almost bitterly. All eyes turned to Tamaki who was looking out the window wearing an inscrutable expression.

"You don't have to say it, Haruhi," he began softly, not taking his eyes of the speeding scenery. "It isn't important to me to hear how and why I would be an unacceptable husband for you." He turned his indigo gaze to her face, his eyes filled with acceptance and regret.

"Take her back," he ordered as he clenched his fists. "Turn the car around! Take her back!"

"No!" Hikaru and Kaoru protested as they clung to Haruhi. Kyouya ignored them and gave the signal to the driver to turn back. "We're going to lose her. She's going to leave us."

Nothing more was said as the car came to a halt. "Stay here!" Tamaki ordered as he extended his hand to Haruhi. She looked at him briefly then let him pull her from the car. No one said a word as Tamaki escorted her into the building.

"Why are you letting him take her back?" Kaoru angrily demanded of Kyouya.

"Let's stop him!" Hikaru growled as he started to leave the car.

"No," Kyouya said as he held up his arm to prevent the twins from leaving. "No. Let her go."

"But we love her!" the twins cried.

"Yes," Kyouya answered tiredly. "But Tamaki loves her enough to let her go. He loves her more. Just shut up and let him do the right thing. What we all should have done in the first place."

"I want to see Haruhi get married," Hunny pouted then looked at Mori. Kyouya moved aside so they could leave.

"Are you coming?" Hunny asked as Mori stood behind him spearing the three remaining friends in the car with disapproval for their attitudes.

"No," Hikaru answered as he crossed his arms over his chest and turned his face from the open door.

"We wouldn't be able to just sit there and let her leave us," Kaoru said stiffly.

"Kyouya?" Hunny asked softly. "It's better to support her. We won't lose her this way."

Kyouya agreed, he'd hoped that kidnapping her would have served them better. He hadn't quite counted on Tamaki being the sensible one in this situation. He would have followed Hunny and Mori and went off in support of Haruhi, but he also knew Tamaki would be back soon and would need his support more than Haruhi would. Besides, there was no merit in watching her bind herself to someone else.

A full five minutes later Tamaki appeared, his expression strained and his face ashen. "Take me home." he told Kyouya weakly. "I just want to go home."

"Us too," Hikaru and Kaoru agreed in unison.

* * *

With a little convincing of his friends that this was not the time to go off alone and lick their wounds, Kyouya made quick call on his cell and ordered a private room at a exceedingly fashionable nearby restaurant. Tamaki had followed his friends in unwillingly, but unable to refuse since Kyouya had gone through the effort of using his familial connections to secure the table.

The four friends sat together in grim silence, which left Kyouya to place an order out of respect. He also hoped that the arrival of food would brighten the mood a little. He admitted to himself that he'd uncharacteristically let his emotions get the better of him when he woke up this morning then gathered his friends together to stop Haruhi from her ill-advised marriage. It was that very emotion which had clouded his planning which was usually flawless and successful.

Reflecting back on Haruhi's gentle refusal of marriage made him sigh regretfully. As much as he desired that Haruhi could be his wife, his lover, his partner in life, he agreed that the obligations of his family would wear on her. She would lose her identity. To be the wife of an Ootori really was a career choice. He could never put such a burden on a woman he loved. He smiled slightly to himself, content that it was the right thing to have simply let Haruhi go.

Kaoru looked at the clock on his cell phone as a waiter laid out plates of sushi on the pristine linen table top. "Well it has to be done now," he said wistfully. "They're probably off and away now as we speak."

"She looked beautiful in that kimono," Hikaru sighed then looked at his brother, silently telegraphing thoughts he knew Kaoru would agree with. They would suffer her loss horribly, but they had each other, and that was all that mattered. In a few weeks they would crawl to her like little puppies with tails between their legs and beg her to admit them entrance into her new life. They knew she'd call them devils and then open her door wide to them. All would be well. They nodded at each other in satisfaction, then they both turned their gazes sadly to Tamaki.

Tamaki sat with his arm leaning on the table as he stared grimly at a plate of ootoro, which he decided that Kyouya had ordered just to taunt him with his losses. He traced his fingertip against the thick white linen of the table cloth and closed his eyes.

_He could see it now. Her figure outlined as she stood just inside the door of a midnight blue tent dotted with golden stars. A spice filled breeze wafted through the air, tickling at the pink harem pants she wore._

"_I thought you were getting married," Tamaki said regally as he lay back on piles and piles of luxurious pillows. He put his arms back to support his head, exposing his bare chest to her as he crossed the ankles of his white linen clad legs. _

"_I couldn't go through with it," Haruhi answered in an uncharacteristically breathless tone as she moved forward, the golden bustier she wore tinkled as she walked, her hips swayed seductively and she smiled sweetly._

"_Why is that, my most darling Haruhi?" Tamaki asked as he held her beautiful brown gaze, which melted into his like sweet chocolate._

"_Because," she said as she fell to her knees and crawled toward him across the pillows as he looked away from her, feigning disinterest in her arrival. "I could only belong to one man."_

_Tamaki turned to her and asked his eyes glittering with interest. "Who would that be?" _

"_Who do you think, my prince?" Haruhi asked as she moved to put her hand on his cheek._

_He closed his eyes leaned into her palm and growled. "Who, Haruhi? Who? Say it!"_

"_Tamaki," she answered and he took a deep satisfied breath._

"Tamaki!" Hikaru half shouted, both he and Kaoru were both leaning on their elbows looking at Tamaki in disgust as he sat there with his hands on his face sighing and crying, "Oh my Haruhi you are my princess! You are! Say it again!"

"Tamaki," Hikaru called again as the man in question opened his eyes, frowning as Haruhi's beautiful face whispering his name, turned into the impish visage known as Hikaru. "You're doing it again."

"He's always doing it," Kaoru said in a bored tone. "The same old sickness."

"It's not the same old sickness!" Tamaki denied then looked down at the table and said softly. "It's…different this time." He bent forward and began hitting his head against the linen table repeatedly

"Tamaki!" Kyouya growled in irritation. "Stop! You're going to break the table with your ridiculously hard head!"

"I'm a fool!" Tamaki cried against the table. "Such a complete fool!"

"Well," Kaoru said as he sat back in his chair and looked at his brother. "He's finally admitted the truth to himself." Hikaru nodded in agreement.

"I am such a fool for letting her go!" Tamaki continued. "Kyouya! Why did you let me let her go? What kind of mother are you?"

Kyouya raised one eyebrow and straightened his glasses. "A very bad one apparently," he answered without amusement.

"Oh Haruhi!" Tamaki cried then began banging his head on the table again, much to the amusement of the twins who began taking bets with each other at how many hits Tamaki could take before he passed out, or lost what was left of his mind.

"Calm down, Tamaki," Kyouya growled in irritation as he dug the ringing cell phone from his pocket. He answered the call then sighed. He issued directions to the restaurant, snapped the phone shut then leveled Tamaki with a very cold and serious gaze.

"Who was that?" Tamaki asked softly as he gently wiped the tears from his face.

"That was Hunny," Kyouya answered as he looked at the twins who were now leaning toward him with expressions of intense interest.

"How was the wedding?" Kaoru asked as he moved closer to Kyouya.

"Is it over?" Hikaru queried then looked at Tamaki who was trying valiantly to regain his composure.

"Did she really go through with it?" Kaoru questioned as he peered into Kyouya's face, as if doing so would render some sort of answer through Kyouya's emotions.

"The wedding is over," Kyouya announced with a tone of finality. "Mori and Hunny are on their way here to celebrate with us instead of Haruhi as we all should be doing." Kaoru blinked as though Kyouya's words caused him pain and withdrew to the safety of his brother's proximity.

"When they arrive," Kyouya continued coldly his voice laced with the tiniest hint of anger. "I believe we should go to Haruhi's reception and apologize for the horrible display we've put her through and humbly beg her to keep us in her lives. We need to show her our support and wish her happiness. Tamaki looked down at his hands and the twins sighed, obviously not liking the plan, but knowing they had no choice.

* * *

Honey arrived before Mori, looking flushed and happy. He smiled at everyone then declared that he was starving.

"There was food at the reception, but we couldn't stay," Hunny said. "There was a glorious strawberry cake. Oh it's so sad that I can't eat it!"

"You could have stayed, Hunny-sempai!" Hikaru said acidly. "You didn't need to come here. We don't want to hear about the beautiful ceremony."

"Tell me," Tamaki began as he turned his glazed eyes toward Hunny who was eyeing the food on the table with his usual enthusiastic glee. "How did she look? Was she the most beautiful bride you've ever seen?"

Hunny looked at Tamaki for several long moments then answered, "You saw her for yourself Tama-chan." Unfortunately Tamaki was already gone.

_He stood in the front of a huge cathedral built of pure white marble wearing white tie morning suit. He waited as his eyes skimmed along miles and miles of white tulle ribbons, flowers, and oceans of red roses and white daisies. _

_Kyouya stood beside him, looking as serious as always as both men focused their attention to the door at the end of the aisle as a four string quartet began playing a magnificent rendition of Pachelbel's Canon in D._

_The door opened with a ringing flourish and Kaoru and Hikaru appeared wearing pink and blue dresses respectively, though it could have been the other way around. They each wore pleasant and dignified expressions as they walked slow pause and step of the wedding march carrying their bouquets of exotic tropical blooms._

_Tamaki could feel his heart quicken and his throat tighten as his two friends moved aside. He was then greeted by the stoic countenance of Mori in a white suit carrying a white basket filled with multi colored rose petals which he scattered methodically as he slowly proceeded down the aisle._

_Mori finally moved aside and Tamaki's breath caught. She stood with her father, who was dressed in full Okama regalia. She wore the most beautiful pink dress imaginable. The skirt was full, beaded in intricate detail with diamonds and seed pearls. The bodice had a perfect square neckline which accentuated Haruhi's delicate features perfectly. Her face was hidden by an intricate French lace veil._

"_I always knew she'd make a beautiful bride," Tamaki told Kyouya softly on a reverent sigh. Kyouya simply nodded his head in agreement._

_With the sound of trumpets set Haruhi walking forward on her father's arm. Marching behind her, holding her train, was Hunny wearing a royal blue crushed velvet short suit._

_Everything sparkled around Haruhi as she reached for Tamaki's hand. He smiled at her as he lifted her veil, the intricacies of a full blown wedding ceremony escaping him as he stared into her limpid brown eyes._

_And then, like magic, her lips pressed against his. Unfortunately he was given very little time to savor the feel or taste of her they were pulled apart in a whirlwind of glitter and confetti as they were rushed down the aisle, with Hunny riding on Haruhi's train yelling, "Wheeeeeee!"_

"Tamaki-sempai?" Haruhi who was standing at the door with Mori behind her, asked as she watched the blond man looking up at the ceiling as tears fell down his face.

The rest of the host club turned the stared in shock as Mori ushered her in gently as he put his hand on the small of her back.

"You're here!" Hikaru and Kaoru called out as they rushed forward to embrace Haruhi, who was now dressed in her typical boyish wardrobe. It was hard to imagine that not long ago she was preparing to walk down the isle in her wedding dress. She looked so normal, like nothing changed.

"Did you come to drag us to your reception?" Kaoru asked in a tone a little too eager to be true.

Hikaru's expression was closed. "Don't even try! We don't want to go." He crossed his arms over his chest and Haruhi gave him an almost stern look. Kaoru, unused to such a vast difference of opinion between he and his twin switched his expression to mimic his brother's as he crossed his arms over his chest as well.

Haruhi looked at them a moment then shook her head and sighed, "I'll deal with you two devils later." She warned then walked around the table, her gaze holding Kyouya's.

"Please pardon our earlier…rudeness," Kyouya intoned as he stared back "We do accept that we should have been more understanding and…"

"Is that a royal we?" Hikaru interrupted. "I thought the kingly act was reserved for Tamaki."

"We were out of line," Kyouya continued. "But I'm sure you can understand our motivations." Haruhi spared a brief look at Tamaki who was melting down from the table onto the floor.

"Tell them why you're here, Haru-chan," Hunny chirped happily.

All eyes turned to Haruhi who clasped her hands very formally in front of her. "I'm here because I couldn't go through with it." Tamaki lifted his head and let his mouth drop open in shock.

"You what?" Hikaru asked as he grabbed her by the shoulders and searched her face.

"She said she couldn't go through with it," Hunny answered. "Mori and I showed up just as she ran out of the building.

"I'm sorry I left you all waiting so long," Haruhi said distractedly as she looked worriedly at the red marks on Tamaki's forehead. She turned her gaze back to Kyouya who was looking at her thoughtfully.

"Takashi was right," Hunny remarked as he sat and began loading his plate with food. "She didn't want to get married."

Haruhi shook her head. "Well I did," she disagreed. "But I woke up this morning and started contemplating my losses and began changing my mind. It really wasn't the best idea. I figured it was stupid to run into marriage just make a point of being independent. But then I realized I'd be putting everyone out by running away."

The corners of Tamaki's lips were twitching up into a smile. "So you couldn't stand the thought of losing your family," he stated happily

"And then," Haruhi continued as she ignored Tamaki. "You all kidnapped me and I was relieved."

"Then why did you go when we took you back?" Kyouya asked as he folded his arms across his chest, leaned back in his chair and regarded her thoughtfully.

Haruhi sighed and shrugged her shoulders. "I was in shock. I wasn't prepared for five marriage proposals just as I ran away from another. I was angry."

"So why are you here now?" Tamaki asked. He hadn't taken his eyes from her since she appeared. No one had really.

"Because I love you, Tamaki" answered then took a step back and into Kaoru as Tamaki stood and walked toward her. "I love all of you. A lot."

"A lot?" Tamaki asked as he took her hand and pulled her toward him.

"Yes," Haruhi admitted as Tamaki cupped her chin.

"I love you too," Tamaki said then placed a not exactly fatherly and chaste kiss against her lips. "Don't ever leave us again," he told her sternly.

Haruhi smiled softly as she reached up and smoothed her hand over his forehead. "If I did, you'd just have me kidnapped. I can't escape any of you. Even if I wanted to."

Tamaki hugged her close and said, "Good. That means we'll live happily ever after."

"Or something like that," Kaoru snickered to Hikaru.

"We're the ones who are going to live happily ever after," Hikaru laughed. "Tamaki has to share her with us. You heard her. She loves us all. A lot."

"Quiet," Kyouya whispered. "Let him have is moment. He can't keep her to himself forever."

The End


End file.
